Winter TV: ‘Black Lightning’ (The CW)

Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) had retired from his secret identity of Black Lightning many years ago, but when danger threatens his twenty-something daughter, Jennifer (Nafessa Williams), and a promising student is being lured by a gang, he returns to the fight

What The Critics Say (Metascore 80)

Not nearly as bright as “Supergirl,” as angst-ridden as “Arrow” or as campy as “The Flash,” “Black Lightning” lights its own path–by being a story about the debt we owe to our community and the importance of inspiration. — Mark A. Perigard. Boston Herald

Jefferson Pierce isn’t just a superhero. He’s a social justice warrior. He quotes Martin Luther King Jr. AND beats up bad guys. This instantly makes him one of the most interesting heroes on television. — Terry Terrones, Colorado Springs Gazette

The show is a fine example of what television might look like once we move past the more ceremonial aspects of diversity. This is a black show on a network filled with white superheroes, and it displays no insecurity or self-consciousness about that. It feels strong and confident, at least in the first two episodes. — Hank Stuever, Washington Post